Burning Fury: Neji's Determination
by MagicalT
Summary: Naruto has finally left for his training and will not return for two years. With him gone, everyone begins their own training to keep the Village alive. The first part, Neji Hyuga.


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Naruto Hurricane Chronicles: Not Just Naruto's Story

Part 1: Hyuga Neji

Disclaimer- As to such, I do not accept liability nor violate copyrighting on Naruto™, for I do not own or contain ownership in any way, shape, or form. Enjoy.

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Everyone in The Village Hidden in The Leaves, Konoha Village, knew of Naruto Uzumaki's journey with Jiraya into the wild for two years of training. When the time came for him to leave, everyone said there goodbyes and wished him the best of luck and to come back alive. That's where the story ended for the number one hyperactive ninja. But one question remained unanswered, what would become of the others? What would they do while Naruto was gone? Their one source of excitement and adventure had gone away for two years leaving them in solitude. 

It seemed that a boring, uninteresting two years was about to roll lazily by unless something was done. The only thing a bunch of ninjas could possibly do is basically one thing, train themselves. That is exactly what they did and that is where this story begins. Where one story ended, many began in a burst of determination and exhilaration. One story in particular, is where this story starts. Its about one boy who found himself enlightened by Naruto, like so many others in that village and beyond, and saw the next two years as the opportunity to prove to himself and everyone else, just as Naruto did, that he too possessed the strength to be a great ninja.

It was morning, not to cold and not so warm, and to gentle flow of the stream against the rocks outside his room awoke him from his great night of sleep. He rubbed his eyes and sat up feeling rather energized for the morning. His black hair draped over his shoulders as he stared at the leaf headband resting in his lap. Staring long into its silver shine, his thumbs rubbed the edges as if to prove its authenticity. He let out a sigh and looked to the ceiling.

"Hmm..today's the day..I never thought it would come so soon" he stood up and drew back his hair with a white tie. Tying his robe closed, he opened his door and smelled the sweet scent of breakfast.

He walked slowly through the corridors of the estate where he stayed and turned the corner to see his cousin making plates of food set out on the table.

"Neji-nii-san, good morning," she said with a confident voice. Her tone was surprising, almost as surprising as her making breakfast.

"Oh, good morning Hinata-sama," he bowed lightly and sat at the table. "Where is your father and sister?"

"They're outside preparing for today's training, I'm making them breakfast for when they finish."

"I see, you even made a plate for me, thank you very much." His words sent a flush of red across her face, this was common with her of course.

"T-Thank you for thanking me." Her eyes and voice trailed off as she grew more red.

He chuckled and smiled, "You seem different today Hinata-sama, is it because _he _is leaving?"

Her attention was brought back and she replied, " Yes, I mean, I shouldn't be sad that he's going, so I'm going to be as supportive and happy as I can. That's how _he_ would want me to be."

He nodded, "Of course, with him leaving, I'm sure everyone is thinking the same thing."

The two sat there and ate their breakfast, their minds on the same thing. They both knew why today was special, why today was a day to remember. Afterwards, he made his way out into the bath house and sank himself into its warm, relaxing waters. He sat there contemplating the day's events and how they might turn out. His mind wandered as he stroked his hair only to remember something he had tried to erase. His hand rose from a scar on his stomach, to a scar on his shoulder, to the mark across his forehead. His eyes closed tightly as the images of his past horrors flashed by. The six-armed man called Kidoumaru, the child named Ranmaru, and the death of his father, Hizashi. All of these reminded him of one thing, his weakness. His mind was wrought with the idea that he was not strong enough to be called a great ninja, not with so many failures and the curse of his own family. At that moment, he made a promise; that after that day, nothing would stop him from becoming a great ninja, just like _him_.

The hours past by until at last, the time had arrived. He and his cousin both walked through the streets as they met up with some of the others who were going to wish _him_ one last farewell.

"Hey Hinata! You headin' to the gates as well?" yelled out the canine ninja with his dog in his coat. He was surrounded by the other four original rookie ninja.

"Hello Kiba-kun, Shino-kun." Hinata bowed respectively. Kiba grinned and laughed and Shino nodded.

He came next to Hinata and smiled slightly, "So everyone is here, to think we'd all make such a big fuss over a guy like _him_."

The green jumpsuit wearing ninja gave his signature thumbs up and grinned, "It is true, that even though _he_ is not the most talented, strongest, or smartest person we know, _he_ is still one of the best ninja this village will ever know."

The pink-haired kunoichi let out a few words, "_He_ truly is a lucky guy, to have all these friends out here today, to wish _him_ our best."

Everyone smiled and shone a happy facade. It was true after all, they too were waiting for _him_ to get there. They all waited for a matter of minutes until they heard the same shuffling footsteps that they had known for so long. _He_ let out a loud laugh followed by that goofy grin everyone knew. That bright orange jacket only added to the flare of his energetic personality as he approached the group of awaiting friends.

"Wow, I didn't know all of you would be here! You guys are too much!" _he_ said enthusiastically.

The kunoichi spoke out sarcastically but friendly, "Oh Naruto, we're just here to make sure you actually leave."

"Ha ha! Very funny Sakura!" _he_ showed a aggravated face then laughed it off.

"Umm..umm..we're all here for you Naruto-kun..really" Hinata said while twiddling her fingers.

Naruto looked at the crowd and sighed happily, "Thanks you guys, really, I appreciate it."

Everyone looked at _him_ and said their goodbyes and last little quips of advice for _his_ upcoming training. He approached Naruto and spoke steadily to _him_.

"Naruto, for the next couple of years, you won't be the only one training. Everyone here, especially me, will make sure that when you get back, you'll still have rivals to beat."

Naruto grinned and replied, "I wouldn't want it any other way!"

The two looked at each other and nodded. This was their promise, it was everyone's promise, to keep the village alive and running, like _he_ never actually left. The time came when Naruto finally exited the gates and everyone waved desperately to try and make this moment last since it was their last. The crowd began to disperse until only a few remained. The fuzzy-brow ninja walked up to him and spoke in a rather serious tone.

"Neji, now that Naruto is gone, I want you to promise something."

He looked at him and replied, "And what would that be Lee?"

"You must promise to fight me, not now, but later. To finally see who is the more splendid ninja, the genius or the Green Beast of Konoha."

He chuckled, "Don't worry about that Lee, it will happen soon. But first, let time go by and see where it takes us."

He turned and walked away into the streets. He looked up into the sky and watched the clouds roll by. He knew what awaited him in the near future. The hours of training and pain along with the rewards. It all became clear to him as he made his way back into the estate. As he walked through the corridors, he heard a quiet sighing coming from Hinata's room. He peered through the door crack to see her clutching a picture of Naruto, her eyes saddened yet hopeful. He sighed and continued to walk down the halls until her came face to face with his uncle, Hiashi. The sudden meeting made him step back abruptly before looking up at him.

"Hiashi-sama, excuse me, I wasn't paying attention."

"Don't worry about it, I can see why you would be what with your friend leaving today."

"Yes, I suppose. I'm actually quite alright, but Hinata is.."

"I know, she feels strongly about people she's close to. Its how she has always been."

"Hmm..your right. So, how has Hanabi's training been going? Has she made progress?"

Hiashi chuckled, "Yes, quite miraculously really. Ever since Hinata told her about all her missions, she's become determined to live up to her older sister. I couldn't be prouder."

He inquired, "Of Hanabi?"

His uncle smiled, "Of both of them, they bring such honor to this family. As do you, Neji."

His eyes widen, had he just been complimented by his uncle? He regained his composure and looked to his uncle, saying nothing. "..."

He bowed and walked past his uncle into the courtyard where Hanabi was sitting.

"Hello Hanabi, I heard you made great progress today, congratulations." he smiled warmly.

"Oh, thank you Neji-san, I've come a ways but nowhere near as great as you or Onee-chan."

"You have a ways to go still Hanabi, don't be in such a rush. You have all this time ahead for that."

"But you are the Hyuga Clan's prodigy, even if you were born in the branch family. Even my sister has grown since those many months ago. I just want to show that I'm worth as much as you two."

He looked at her and sat down next to her, "Hanabi, not everyone is born with greatness, in fact, no one is. Its what we do in our time here that distinguishes us, not where or who we're born from."

He spoke of course of that same hyperactive ninja who went from class clown to legendary ninja just on determination alone. The one who showed him that a great ninja is nothing without the inner strength and will power to become stronger. He sat there with his little cousin and watched the day dwindle until the sky began to glow red and yellow across the clouds. He sat there, long after Hanabi had left, and thought. It was all he could do until the next day, the beginning of his new adventure. he let out a deep sigh and stood up looking towards the setting sun. He was beside himself, being self-assured that the next two years were about to become very interesting.

The day began much like the day before, the gentle flowing stream against the rocks awoke him again. This time, he was even more energized and ready for what awaited him that day. After his bath, he walked out into the lounge to see his uncle eating breakfast by himself. He took in a breath, exhaled, and approached him.

"Good morning Hiashi-sama," he moved and sat across from his uncle.

"Good morning Neji, sleep well?" his uncle asked.

"Yes, and forgive me for being so frank, but I must ask you something."

His uncle looked at him puzzled, "What would that be then?"

His white eyes met his uncle's as he began to speak, "I want to know everything; about the Byakugan, this curse mark, everything."

His uncle looked back at him with a serious face then took in a deep breath, "I knew this day would come, especially after I told you the truth about your father. Well, I guess now is best. But before I tell you, you must swear not to repeat any of this in front of Hinata or Hanabi. They are still too young to know the secrets behind the Byakugan."

"So there is more to the Byakugan and this mark." he thought. He sat patiently,"I swear, now, tell me what you know."

His uncle exhaled and looked at him, "You already know that the Byakugan is the Kekki Genkai of the Hyuga clan and that its power of insight is almost beyond measure. You also know that the curse mark you bear limits your Byakugan and keeps your side of the family in line. Well, being as powerful as you are, even with the mark, you may have the ability to develop your Byakugan much further."

"What do you mean develop?" he inquired quickly.

"I mean, there is another level of Byakugan beyond that of yours. Only a few in the Hyuga clan know of its existence and even fewer have ever attained it. You know that our style is Jyuuken style, the use of chakra as a weapon against our enemies instead of brute strength. The Byakugan allows us to precisely attack the chakra points inside an enemy's body and even thrust huge amounts of chakra into their bodies causing massive internal damage."

"I know all this, so what does this have to do with the advanced Byakugan?" he quipped being a bit aggravated.

His uncle looked sternly at him, "Let me finish." He cleared his throat and continued, "Also, the Byakugan allows its user to move at inhuman speeds when activated and gives us an almost complete 360 degree defense. Now, what this next level of Byakugan, the one that few have ever used, is even greater than that."

Surprise overtook his face, "Greater? You mean its even more powerful than it is now?"

His uncle nodded, "Yes, and as fortune should have it, you have the potential to unlock its power once more. For you see, all those who have ever attained it, were all part of the branch family."

He leaned forward awaiting his uncle's words, "But how is that possible? With the curse mark, their Byakugan abilities would have been seriously crippled."

"That's because, like you, they too were prodigies of the Hyuga clan. With their curse marks, they were able to do unbelievable things, and without them, so much more."

"Wait a minute! I thought the curse ark was only able to be released once the person dies!" he exclaimed.

"Your right, they did die. But they were brought back to life, the marks gone, and with the new Byakugan."

He sat there silent for a moment then asked his uncle, "What was this Byakugan called?"

"No one knows, only those who gained its power knew. They died with its name along with the enemies who were unfortunate enough to hear its name."

"So your saying, that in order to gain this Byakugan, I must die and come back to life?"

His uncle nodded, "Yes."

"But how?" he asked indignantly.

"I don't know, you'll have to find that out yourself." With that, his uncle got up and left leaving him to ponder what had just been discussed.

"A level beyond, no curse mark, death." he thought to himself over and over again.

He sat there in the lounge for what seemed like hours then came to conclusions in his mind. He would find a way to gain that power, but not now. That day and those following were marked with the blood and sweat of training. Maybe there he could acquire the underlying power of the Hyuga clan.

The next day, around noon, the sun was straight above in the cloudless sky. He was with his other teammates in the training grounds just outside the village. The jumpsuit-wearing boy was around kicking and punching, his massive weights seemingly weightless. The girl, a rather useless jutsu user but excellent weapons expert, was busy sharpening her arsenal. He was standing in front of a large piece of wood, nearly three times his size, and prepared to begin his training. The veins bulged on his temples and eyes before he began to assault the wood.

"Jyuuken Hou, Hakke: Rokujuu Yonshou!" he yelled as he started striking the wood repetitively causing dents to appear and chunks to fly off.

When he finished he began again, " Hakke: Hyaku Nijuu Hachi Shou!" His strikes doubled in speed as the wood was being pummeled into pieces. Splinters and dust filled the air as he stopped.

"Hey Neji, you should really watch what your hitting there, people aren't made of wood you know," said the girl jokingly.

He answered her sternly without even glancing at her, "Ten-Ten, why don't you concentrate on your training instead of mine?"

His answer made her jerk back involuntarily, "O-Okay then.." she went back to sharpening her weapons only now with her head down.

His harsh words didn't occur to him as he went back to his training, "Hakke: Hyaku Nijuu Hachi Shou!" His finger dug into the wood again and again ceaselessly.

When that wood was no longer able to take his strikes, he moved to the next one and the next one. His fingers, now bloody and torn at the tips, were numb to the touch. His chakra was now depleting rapidly since he had never turned off his Byakugan and was using the strongest Jyuuken techniques he knew. Hours passed and still he trained, practically unconscious from pain and fatigue. The girl had left but his companion, Rock Lee, stayed and watched. As the sunlight faded away, his body too began to weaken. As he finished his fifteenth piece of wood, he collapsed.

Rock Lee managed to catch him and help him up, "Neji, you must stop now, your body cannot handle this kind of brutality."

He spoke softly and coarsely, "Do not tell me to stop. Even if my body fails, I'll be that much closer to my goals." He passed out shortly after.

Rock Lee carried him to his estate and left him for the night. When morning's light broke through his window, he stirred quietly until he tried to move his arms. The pain shot through him rapidly, more than he thought it would. He slowly lifted his arms to see his hand dressed in gauze with a pile of bloody towels next to his bed. He knew what had happened, and cursed himself for it. Now he would have to wait a few more days before he could train again, how foolish. He got up and made his way to the kitchen where someone was waiting for him.

"Hello Neji! Feeling better are we?" the girl smiled and giggled.

He gasped a bit before speaking, "Ten-Ten? What are you doing here?"

"I was called for by your cousin, she said that you had messed yourself up yesterday and needed someone to take care of you. Well, your cousins are busy with their own training, and your uncle had family business to take care of. Rock Lee is on a mission with Guy-sensei so all that was left was me." she accented her last word with a childish quip.

He looked down a bit, "Yes, I did get carried away yesterday." He remembered his words to her that day, "About yesterday..I..."

She smiled, "Its okay, you had your reasons, but I know how you can make it up to me."

He became a bit worried but still asked, "And how is that?"

The next thing he knew, he was sitting with a napkin around his neck and a spoon of food in front of him. The girl was trying not to laugh as she made little sounds with the spoon.

"Now open up Neji! Its time for some yum-yums!" she giggled as she poked his mouth with the spoon.

He looked at her incredulously, "You have got to be joking. This is degrading! I am not a child!"

"Awww, please? Just this once for me? Please Neji-kun?" her pleading eyes made it unbearable.

His face became reddened as his mouth opened slightly, "I..uhh..I.."

She pressed the spoon into his mouth with a smile, "There you go! Good job!" she giggled some more.

He gave her a sour face but soon let up and continued to be fed. It was somewhat annoying to be fed like an infant, but what could he do with wrapped up fingers? So he sat there with her talking and laughing. This was actually the first time he had been alone with her. He realized now how little he knew about her even though they were on the same team. She had told him a lot about herself, what her dream was as a ninja, and so much more. After an hour or so, she helped him up and walked to the bath house where she began to walk away. He turned to her and called out.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked.

She smiled, "What? You actually need help to take a bath? Just jump in the water and soak." she laughed and turned the corner.

He saw the irony and opened the door carefully so as not to cause him any pain. He slowly unwound his bandages and saw the true damage he caused. He had two-hundred and sixty stitches in total on his hands. The tips were purple and swollen, it was hard to look at. The rest of his hand was purple as well. When he sat in the water, the pain melted away as he lay there floating on the edge. In there, he found himself able to move his fingers, but only slightly. He knew that this was a foolish thing to do; what could he accomplish now? He laid back his head and submerged himself blowing bubbles in indignity. A few seconds afterwards, he hears a knock at the bath house door.

"Hello? Neji-kun! Time to get out. We have errands to run." said the girl.

His head breaks the surface as he stares at the door, "Would you stop saying that? And what do you mean errands?"

"The errands given to us from your uncle. He didn't expect you to lay around all day so he made a list of things for us to do!" she giggled as she spoke.

"Of course, Hiashi-sama wouldn't let me slack today or any day." he thought to himself. He stood up and put a towel around himself, "Okay, I'm coming, just don't look at me while I'm out."

"Of course not silly, just hurry up and get dressed, we have a lot to do." she placed her hands over her eyes and turned away.

As he stepped out, he could tell she was peeking, even if it was only a little. He quickly hurried into his room and shut the door. He dried himself and picked out some fresh clothes. As he slipped on his cotton long-sleeve, the tip of a stitch got caught and was pulled on by accident. He let out a small yell of pain then seethed to calm himself. The girl knocked on the door quickly.

"Neji-kun? Are you okay? You need any help?" she asked worriedly.

"No, I'm alright. Just a little pain, nothing to worry about." he said while slipping the rest of his shirt on. He tied his shirt shut and slipped on his loose slacks and shoes. When he walked out, she was already prepared with a list in one hand and a small money sack in the other.

"Okay then, lets go!" she looped her arm with his and walked with him into the streets of Konoha.

They had gone everywhere, every store had something on the list. It was seemingly useless things to like ink, paper, and such. There was some ointment that needed to be picked up for Hinata along with some ninja gear that was intended for Hanabi's training. After a few hours, Ten-Ten pulled him to a small restaurant for a snack.

"Lets have a little treat for ourselves since we're running all these errands and all." she said.

He shrugged, "I suppose, just don't spend all the money, its not ours." He sat down at the table with her.

She ordered a small plate of dumplings for them to share and the two waited patiently. He noticed how nice she was being and just couldn't help but ask her why.

He said, "Ten-Ten, why are you doing this? Why are you helping me and doing errands?"

She seemed surprised at his question but answered, "Because your injured silly! Its not good for an injured person to be running errands!" she let out a small giggle.

"That's not what I mean. I want to know why you're being nice, well, nicer." his white eyes glared into hers.

This time, she answered a bit more seriously, "Well, you see, after you were brought home, Hinata did all she could to help treat your injuries. They said you were constantly groaning in the night from the pain. And that morning, when your uncle asked for my help, he told me everything. About how you were becoming obsessed with becoming stronger."

His eyes widened and he thought to himself, "So Hiashi-sama didn't tell her the truth." He grinned, "Good job uncle." He continued to listen to her.

"So I felt sorry that it was happening to you and decided to try my best to help you. I guess you can say its because I care about you so much." Both of them blinked and she blurted out quickly, "Not like that I mean! As a teammate! Yeah!" The two sat and laughed embarrassedly.

He spoke to her calmly, "I know what you mean, and thank you Ten-Ten. I don't think this day would have been so great if you hadn't been here." His words made her look down as a slight reddish glow fell on her cheeks.

She snapped her fingers and smiled, "Now I remember! We have one more errand to do!"

"We do?" he asked, "What errand would that be?"

"Its a favor your uncle called in, we have to meet Hokage-sama right now before she leaves!"

The girl grabbed him by the arm and rushed to the Hokage's office. They walked in as she was about to leave. As it would turn out, his uncle actually did some good. He had convinced The Hokage to help him along with his injuries by giving him her special treatment that she used on Rock Lee after his run in with that sand ninja. The effects would take a day at the most to work so he and the girl decided to go back to his estate to let him rest.

As he approached the gates to the estate, he turned to face her, "Thank you for helping today, it made things a lot easier."

She smiled, "Hey, what are teammates for? Besides, it was fun watching the great Neji be a kid for once in his life."

He chuckled and looked to the gates, "Yes, it was an eventful day for us all. Well, I'd better go inside, make sure you get home safely."

She couldn't help but laugh, "Is the great Neji actually worried about someone other than himself?"

His reply was simple, "What are teammates for?" He took a few steps forward before giving her a few final words, "Goodnight, Ten-Ten.." he paused for a second, "-Chan." he had thrown her own word game at her. He grinned at his mini-victory.

She blushed furiously and bowed respectively; then she turned away and walked home. He walked into the estate smiling slightly, he had a very good day. The moment he came in, he was greeted by his uncle and cousins' smiling faces. They had laid out dinner with a plate set up for him. He couldn't believe his eyes but he didn't care. He sat down and the four of them ate and laughed the entire time. In the night, he stayed up and stared into the ceiling. He had to rethink his plans at attaining the power he sought. He couldn't push too hard, but he had to feel the effects or else what was the point? That is when he realized the answer. Starting tomorrow, it was a whole new plan, one that was sure to give him what he desired.

Again, he awoke feeling energized, though this time, he was never more relieved to move his fingers. He got up and dressed and greeted everyone before collecting his gear for his new training method. He had called for Rock Lee to help him but he didn't say any specifications, just to bring all his weight training gear. When Lee got to the training grounds, he was already waiting.

"Alright Lee, I've got a favor to ask of you, will you do it?" he asked quickly.

"Of course Neji, anything for a good friend and fellow ninja. What is it that you require?"

He grinned, "I need your spare weights, now."

Lee looked puzzled, "But why? Do you intend to use them?"

"Of course, and you're going to help me as well."

Lee asked again, "What do you mean?"

He chuckled, "You'll see. Now, hand me those weights."

He carefully added the arm and leg weights to his limbs which made him slump down from their size. Rock Lee removed a few weight packets so that he could actually move. After a few practice punches and kicks, he told Rock Lee to step back a few yards. He had given him a bag of kunai knives that had been dulled slightly as if to not actually cause harm. Then, he asked Lee to do one thing and only one thing.

"What?! You want to throw these at you?!" Lee exclaimed.

"Yes, why else would I give them to you?" he said sternly.

"I thought they were presents." Lee said discouragingly.

"Not at all. Listen, this is my new training regiment. I'm going to build my speed physically, not mentally. This means no Byakugan at all, its all me." he said

Lee nodded, "Okay Neji, if you say so. But be careful, with that much weight, there is a very good chance you'll be injured."

"That's why I dulled them, to avoid injury if it comes to that." he said scoffingly.

"Ooooh, you are so smart Neji, you think it all out." Lee said with his signature thumbs up.

This made him grin, "As always. Now, lets get this training under way."

The two began with both of them a bit nervous of how this might play out. Rock Lee drew back the kunai and threw it rather slowly to test out this little game of chance. As it came, he could see it as clear as day and went to lift a hand and catch it. To his surprise, his hand would not come up as easily as he thought; so he put more energy into it to catch it in the nick of time. Both of them let out a sigh of relief and continued with the training. Rock Lee began to throw faster and faster which made him move faster and waste more energy. He pushed on through the struggling weight until at last, a kunai hit. It struck him in the right arm and only broke the skin which made him wince. Lee stopped but he told him to keep going, and so he did. One after another, the kunai began hitting him more frequently but he kept on going until he collapsed again from exhaustion. Rock Lee helped him up and took off the weights so that he'd be easier to carry. He was brought home and rested for the night. The next day, it continued still, he and Lee trained like this for months at a time. They added more weight as his prowess progressed until one day, months later, he asked Lee for one more favor.

"What's that? You want how much weight?!" Lee said shocked.

"You heard me, all of it. And also, I want you to take off your weights and start throwing those kunai at me with all your strength. That includes opening your gates if you have to, just get those kunai flying as fast as you can." he said.

Lee was appalled, but he knew he was serious, "You are asking a lot Neji, but I am sure you know what you are doing." He took off his weights and gave them to him.

He put on all the weight as he wanted; unlike before, it was a bit easier to move. He stood there staring at Lee as he prepared for the kunai. Lee threw up the kunai and jumped with it. He spun quickly and locked his foot into it making it fly at incredible speed. He had almost no time to think but the word came to his lips in time.

"Byakugan!" he yelled and suddenly, the kunai traveled twice as slow.

He saw the kunai and began to move but he could feel the weight more than ever. As it closed in he knew that he couldn't catch it so he did what he could and dodged it, which proved just as hard. When it passed, he turned off his Byakugan and panted lightly.

Lee looked at him, "That was too close Neji. Are you sure you want to do this?"

He wiped his mouth and grinned, "That was too slow Lee, make it faster."

Lee saw his determination and nodded with a smile. The two continued through the weeks like before, only now, it was not only him that was being trained, but his Byakugan. In order to develop his Byakugan, he came to one conclusion: train the body, then the mind, and the skill will follow. This was true in the following months when Lee had to open almost all his gates to even graze the new and improved Hyuga. After a good five months of intense training, he finally told Lee that their training was done and that he could finally do his own training alone. The two parted and the training ended, but the following week, he was back to training. This time, he spent days studying himself, mainly the style of fighting and his Byakugan abilities. Only by understanding his limits, was he able to comprehend how to push beyond them. He spent a solid six months studying, with the help of his uncle and cousin who would occasionally spar with him if necessary, and dedicated his time to developing his skills far beyond anyone's expectations.

The days passed and he had come a long way since a year ago. He was growing mentally, physically, and emotionally. His life was interesting since he could use his training on missions to further test himself. He became more involved with his teammates, especially Ten-Ten, who had grown considerably in a year. The two still spent days walking and talking even though they didn't have to. With Lee, there was still that competition between them and as time passed, both became more and more eager to fight and test each other. He even took the Chuunin Exam once more with the others and they all passed. At home, his uncle and cousins were still very kind to him and he in turn showed that same kindness, if not a bit more rigid than ususal. Him and Hinata were keeping each other company whenever Hanabi or Hiashi were busy. They would discuss things involving the Hyuga Clan, life as ninjas, missions, and just anything they could bring up.

It was a good few months he had, until one day, almost two years since the day Naruto left, the true test came for him. It was a sunny day, when suddenly, Lee sent him a note, it requested his presence at the training grounds. It was strange since everyone knew that he had been on special training with Guy-sensei. Had he come back? And why did he want him?

He walked into the grounds when he spotted Lee, still looking the same as he did before, "Hello Lee, glad to see you back. You've grown quite a bit."

Lee grinned, "It is good to be back among friends. It seems I am not the only one who has grown." he chuckled seeing his comrade in his new attire.

"Yes, you're right. So, why did you call me out here? Don't you think everyone else would like to know your back?" he asked.

Lee nodded, "Yes, you are correct. But there is one thing I want to do before that."

He raised an eyebrow, "What would that be?"

Lee stood up straight and placed his arm behind him and in front of him, "A match, right now."

He chuckled, he had expected this, "I see, I thought so. Well, I hope you've learned some new techniques, because I won't go easy on you."

Lee grinned, "Of course, I will make sure you do not get too injured. I would not want you to look unpresentable to our friends."

"Enough small talk, lets get this over with." he got into his Jyuuken stance and awaited Lee's attack.

They both stood there for a moment then the sound of his Byakugan activating was the bell that started the match. Lee rushed him quickly with a hard kick.

"Konoha Daisenpu!" his leg came rushing at his head.

He ducked successfully and back flipped to avoid the following kick. When he got back to his feet, he launched a Jyuuken palm straight to his stomach. Lee managed to lean back and dodge it barely, he could feel the sting of the force against his ribs. He pursued Lee and began unloading palm after palm with incredible speed. Lee was dodging them effectively but he knew that he would have to move faster if he wanted to land a blow on him.

Lee ducked swiftly and disappeared from his view, suddenly he felt the force against his chin. Lee had finally struck his opponent.

"Konoha Senpu!" Lee's foot dug into his chin making him fly into the air.

As he floated in the air, Lee managed to get behind him and his bandages wrapped around him, he knew what was coming. When they plummeted, he could hear Lee's voice echoing the same move that became his trade-mark.

"Omote Renge!" Lee sent him pile-driving towards the ground.

Just before they hit the ground, he cried out, "Hakkeshou Kaiten!" The bandages ripped and the sphere of chakra sent Lee flying leaving him unharmed.

Lee looked at him grinning, "I thought that would be too easy, I guess I will have to get serious now."

He grinned back, "So will I." He changed his stance, his legs widened and he placed his arms front and back. This was what Lee was preparing for.

"I will not let you use that here!" Lee disappered and had appeared in front of him, but it was too late.

"Hakke: Rokujuu Yonshou!" His Byakugan slowed Lee down considerably and made him that much swifter.

The first two strikes hit Lee in the chest, but he gripped Lee's jumpsuit and lifted him above him. There was nothing that Lee could do except try to block, but it too was in vain. He began to strike him four times, eight times, sixteen times, thirty-two times, then finally, sixty-four times in midair. The last strike was used to push Lee up then into the ground. His strike turned into a palm as he struck the Jyuuken palm into Lee's chest making the ground crack beneath him. He skidded back and watched Lee struggle to get up, the palm marks sizzled on his jumpsuit.

Lee got up and chuckled, "Excellent Neji, I would not expect any less from a genius. But now its time to show you the fruits of my labor!" He reached down and removed the weights from his legs.

His eyes widened, hadn't Lee removed them already? This couldn't be good, this meant that he might actually have to use his new technique. He took in a deep breath and looked to Lee who was preparing to go all out. Lee's body tensed up as the atmosphere around him began to ripple, this meant on thing. Lee had opened the first two gates to save himself from his opponents strikes by allowing the limits to be released which increased the circulation of chakra. It was about to get worse now that Lee was about to open the third. His skin turned red as the surge of chakra flowed around him until, at last, it had been opened. Lee's body glowed with energy, his eyes white and his expression angered.

"I'll take you out now Neji! Prepare yourself!" He growled as he tensed up again, "Fourth Gate: Gate of Pain, OPEN!" His power doubled and had now disappeared before his eyes.

His Byakugan activated again, but even then, Lee was too fast. He felt punch after punch against his body, sending him bounding across the ground. He tried to gain his footing but Lee kept striking relentlessly, he meant it when he said this was the end. With no time to think, he rolled in the air and just as Lee was about to deal another blow, he felt the swirling sting of that absolute defense.

"Hakkeshou Kaiten Zetsu!" he spun and Lee was immediately caught in the blur of orange chakra that thrashed Lee into the ground and grinded him into it. The sudden burst of chakra left Lee dazed and gave him another opening.

As soon as he stopped he got into his strike stance, but altered it ever so slightly, "Hakke Nijuu Hachi Shou!" This time, not even Lee's speed could save him.

He delivered blow after blow at double his original speed. Every strike was thrusting at a point in Lee's body while injuring him at the same time. By the time he finished, Lee had stayed a foot in the air before falling. He laid there and groaned in pain as his opponent stood over him.

"Its over Lee, just accept your defeat." he said sternly.

Lee's eyes burst open as he disappeared from the ground and appeared some feet away, "Not yet Neji, I will win this. Just you watch." He clenched his fist and began to concentrate.

Chakra began to circulate again but at a greater, rapid pace. It couldn't be possible, had he done it? Lee's cries would confirm what he had been fearing.

"The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Gate: Gates of Closing, Joy, and Shock, OPEN!!!" Lee erupted in a flurry of chakra and light making dust fly everywhere. When it cleared, Lee stood ready with his finishing move already decided. "Mugen Ranbu no Mai!!"

Three gates at once?! It wasn't possible, but Lee had done it. And now, he was about to show him the true power of the Gates. Lee punches the ground making an earthquake that knock his opponent into the air. Lee begins to attack him at multiple times the speed of light making the illusion of three Lee's attacking. As he floats in the sky, Lee delivers three more critical punches which sends him flying into the ground throwing debris everywhere. Lee lands to see his opponent laying there, eyes wide and blood on his mouth. His clothes had be wrecked and his headband was in his hand. His curse mark was now apparent on his forehead, but then, it glowed and faded. Still with his gates open, he investigates the body to make sure he had not gone too far.

In his mind, he could feel himself slipping, death was upon him. "No, it can't be, I cannot die here. The power of the Byakugan, I must have it. Before I die, I..must..have..it!"

His eyes burst open as he stared up at Lee with his Byakugan. The mark came back, glowed brightly, then dissipated in an instant. "Shin-Byakugan!" his field of vision expanded and everything was silent.

He back flipped and saw Lee, he was moving slower than he ever saw; even with seven gates open. His Byakugan was unbelievable, he could see farther than he ever could dream, he could sense every movement of anything, down to the very sparking of the synapses in his opponents brain. As he stood in awe of his new abilities, he saw them, the Eight Gates. Seven of them were lit up as clear as day and he knew what he had to do.

He turned into his strike stance, this time, his aim was to end this, "Zessho Hachimon Hougeki!"

Lee, who only saw a glimpse of his opponent rising, now saw the horror that awaited him through his white eyes. He struck him twice in the head which caused him to become nauseous. They strikes felt like burning needles that completely shut down the first two gates. He continued still by striking the next four gates and shutting them down. Lee felt his power draining as the fatigue finally began setting in. Lastly, he struck the final gate in his stomach and sent Lee flying back. This wasn't the end, he felt another technique, one that would end this for good.

His Shin-Byakugan went into maximum as he went into his new strike stance, " Hakke Sanbyaku Rokujuichi Shiki!" Then the onslaught began.

Going five times faster than he has ever gone, he systematically struck every single chakra point in Lee's body with the force of a Jyuuken palm. One after another, a part of Lee's body shut down until only one remained, the one in his heart. Just before he struck, he realized what he was about to do, what this technique was meant for. He stopped inches away from the point and stood there face to face with Lee. Lee looked at him with satisfied eyes and feel back in defeat. His Shin-Byakugan faded and he collapsed to his knees, the effects of Lee's attacks had finally caught up to him. The broken bones and other injuries overcame them both as they fell next to each other.

They laid there for hours and awoke in the morning, inside of Konoha's hospital. They looked around and saw nothing but the white curtains that separated their beds. Lee was the one who spoke first with a rather cheerful tone.

"That was a great match my friend, I am glad to have fought you."

He chuckled, "Your lucky I didn't finish you off. But then again, if I did, I wouldn't have such a strong rival anymore."

Lee laughed then coughed a bit, "You sound just the same as when I last saw you. Some things never change."

As the two sat there, they heard the door creak as a few people entered into their room. It was Hinata, Ten-Ten, and Sakura. They approached the two boys smiling with little bouquets of flowers with them. He couldn't believe that they even showed up, but he was glad they did.

"So they sent the welcoming party for us, eh? How fortunate for us." he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?! We could've not come but we had to since we're the only ones who know about your little match." said Ten-Ten.

Sakura interjected, "How foolish! Even for Lee-kun, to go out and beat the tar out of each other like that! It took me _and_ Tsunande-sama's healing abilities to fix you two."

Lee pleaded with her, "Do not blame Neji! It was all my doing Sakura-chan! I...Augh!" He felt his body twinge in pain.

"Don't move around! You'll only make yourself worse!" said Sakura annoyed.

He chuckled as he watched the two squabble, "Even with our bodies like this, we can still plead our case. What we did was our own accords and had nothing to do with any of you."

Ten-Ten walked up and pinched his cheek, "Look who's trying to be so cool! You need to learn to respect others!"

"Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Oww! Stop it Ten-Ten-chan!" he cried. Right away, he realized what he said.

She grew red and stepped away, "What's with that now?! Calling me that out of the blue!" She turned away and grumbled to herself, still blushing.

Hinata looked to her cousin and smiled, "Neji-nii-san and Ten-Ten-san, I would've never guessed it."

He felt the heat on his face and turned away, "Stop that nonsense Hinata-sama, you don't know what your talking about."

She smiled still and tossed a tiny box onto his lap, "Here, this will help you heal faster."

He looked up at her and nodded to her. He turned to Sakura and asked her, "Are you certain only you three know what happened?"

Sakura replied, "Of course, we snuck you two in here after we found you passed out on the ground."

"So they didn't see anything before that, good." he thought to himself.

"Well, we came to give you our best and to tell you that you two will be out in a week." said Sakura.

"Good then, we'll see you all in a week." he said quickly.

Lee spoke out, "That's excellent news! Thank you Sakura-chan, but now, I think we need to rest."

She nodded and lead herself, Hinata, and Ten-Ten out. Ten-Ten came back inside and kissed her fingers then flung them at him. He got redder and looked away, Lee was now asleep. The two sat there and slept for a week. When the time came for them to be released, they walked out with only a few patches and a sling or two. They went on with life as usual, Lee returned to training, even with a mangled body. He returned to the estate and stayed in his room for a few days. He kept his forehead concealed since the mark was still there but it would fade every time he would use the Byakugan. When he got out, he was immediately showered with flowers and get-well-soon cards from, of course, Ten-Ten. He spent many days recuperating with her and grew more attached than he thought he would. Pretty soon, there were days where she would be over almost all day, even after he had been done healing. One day, while preparing to resume his training, his uncle approached him.

"Neji, we need to talk. Now." he said sternly.

"I was wondering when you were going to. Alright, lets get this over with." He and his uncle walked into the study. He sat across from his uncle, who began speaking right away.

"Well, did it happen? Did you achieve what you wanted?" he asked calmly.

He grinned, "Yes, it happened like you said it would."

Hiashi looked shocked, "You mean you achieved the next level of Byakugan?!"

"Yes, it was miraculous, I never felt that kind of power. It was remarkable." he said.

Hiashi chuckled, "I see, so it was true, you unlocked the Byakugan's full potential."

"What do you mean? I thought you said there was another level of Byakugan to attain." he said.

"Right, and you did. Didn't you realize the maximum potential of your Byakugan in that moment?" Hiashi asked.

He thought for a moment and spoke, "Yes, I did. But does that mean the next level of Byakugan is just the unlocking of its potential?"

Hiashi nodded, "That's why I said only branch members could attain it, the limit on their Byakugan means they could never realize that potential. Unless they did one thing."

"Die..." he said.

"And then live. You see, the tale of the advanced Byakugan is the tale of the Hyuga who cheated death on sheer determination to live and obtained what we main branch members need years to gain." Hiashi smiled.

It became clear now, the truth behind the Hyuga Clan. Their Kekkei Genkai was powerful, even more powerful than the original members could imagine. Its abilities were strong enough to rival any other doujutsu, ninjutsu, or otherwise. This was the true purpose of the branch family, to unlock the secrets of the Byakugan through restrictions, instead of years and years of arduous training. The price was heavy though, it meant certain death. But the original members realized, that in order to keep the Byakugan as strong as it was through the generations, some members would have to devote their lives to perfecting it and obtaining that potential. He looked to his uncle incredulously and then stood up.

"I see, it makes sense then. I understand. I will prove the superiority of the Byakugan and show why the Hyuga Clan is the greatest clan in Konoha!" he said knowing that is what his uncle would want to hear.

Hiashi nodded, "Good, now go enjoy your day, you've earned it."

He stepped out and walked into the corridors. He began to think to himself, "So it was all for the glory of the Hyuga Clan. To think I actually devoted my time to something like this." he sighed, "I may not like the fact that I was used to strengthen the clan, but what I am glad for is that now I have this power; that which my uncle, cousins, or father could have never imagined." He grinned to himself, "This means I've done what I sought out to do, I've finally become a great ninja." He carried himself through the halls and made his way outside where Ten-Ten was waiting. She smiled to him as they both walked together into the village.

A few months passed and it had already been over two years, no sign of Naruto. He had still lived a normal life of a ninja with missions, training, and so on. He had never shown his true abilities to anyone else in all that time, no one was strong enough to bring them out. Only Rock Lee knew about them, and likewise, only he knew about Rock Lee's. It was a fair deal, no one said anything, as two great ninja and friends should act. Ten-Ten and him became truly close, almost to a relationship, but both of them knew that the ninja lifestyle would make any relationship hazardous. But still, they strolled together, talked frequently, and spent time alone where the eyes of their peers would not judge them.

It was a great time for him, and even better since he had become closer to his family as well. Hinata now frequently asked to spar with him and asked many questions on how to perfect the family style. Hanabi to became attached to him and constantly sought advice from him regarding ninja skills and the Academy that she had just started in. His uncle had now seen him as a respected member of the family and regarded him almost like a son. Life was looking great for him, everything was becoming better with each passing day. So much had happened in two years that he had almost forgotten why he started what he did. He meant only to strengthen himself to give his friend a warm welcome when he returned, but in actuality, he strengthened himself, his family, and his friends; all for the number one hyperactive ninja.


End file.
